SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Recent Le Moyne College graduate Alison Lesher (Sherrill, N.Y./V-V-S) has been selected as a candidate for the 2008 NCAA Woman of the Year.
Earlier this week, the NCAA announced its list of 132 conference and independent nominees for its 18th annual Woman of the Year award. The nominees represent all three divisions and have excelled in academics, athletics, leadership and community service.
Lesher, a biology major, was named to the Le Moyne College Dean's list for eight semesters and was a Presidential Scholar recipient all four years while at the college. In addition to her institutional academic achievements, Lesher also garnered Northeast-10 academic awards as well. She was a three-time Northeast-10 All Academic selection and was named to the Commissioners Honor Roll on four occasions.
Lesher's accomplishments in the classroom also carried over to the pool. In March, she became the first Le Moyne swimmer and one of only two Northeast-10 student-athletes to ever win a national championship in the sport of swimming. Lesher earned All-American status as she finished first in the 200-yard butterfly event to cap off her final year of collegiate competition. Among her athletic accomplishments, Lesher was a five-time All-American, was named the Most Valuable Swimmer of the 2006 and 2007 Northeast-10 Championships and won 10 conference championships in her collegiate career. She currently holds eight different school records.
The top 10 honorees per Division will be announced later this month followed by the selection of the top three honorees per division. The Woman of the Year will be announced at an awards dinner in Indianapolis on October 19.
Honorees are selected based on academic achievement, service and leadership activities, athletics excellence, and a personal statement describing benefits she has gained from her experience as a student-athlete.
To be eligible for this honor, female student-athlete must have earned a varsity letter in an NCAA-sponsored sport and competed during the 2007-08 academic year. Each individual must have completed intercollegiate eligibility in her primary sport by the end of the 2008 spring season and carry a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.5.
Full list of candidates
